Christmas is all around

What.a.weekend. Ariana joined me in club 26, where we party until 10pm, spend our money on car payments and shake our heads/look down our noses at all those crazy kids who are not as wise and mature as we are. We celebrated with a slumber party. And watched Spice World and Clueless. It was a totally sophisticated affair.

Saturday night Maddie, Nat and LDC came over and we made peanut chicken (well, Nat did) and watched Love Actually. Because it’s not Christmastime yet until you’ve watched that movie. Also on Saturday night, two very near and dear friends got engaged. —side note: I think I am going to swap ‘got engaged’ for ‘became affianced’ in my vocabulary. It sounds so much more dignified.— And then I had one of those meta-moments when I thought about how love actually is all around me. Hopefully one day (soonish, please) it’ll be my turn too.

Sunday morning was the final appearance of the Westside Christmas orchestra, in which we got to play at the two Granville Island services without in-ears and it was oh so wonderful. It seemed like people really enjoyed it, and because we’d played through everything so many times by then it was musically pretty good, I thought. I’m really glad I got to do so much arranging for this. It’s been a long time since I’ve really written out music, and thought about arranging for horns and strings. It was pretty stressful putting all the charts together for the rehearsals but at the end of it all I think it was worth it. And I mean honestly, it’s such a joy and a privilege to get to do something you love, love, love all for the sake of praising Jesus.

Now, it is the night before I am supposed to leave for home and I have not yet packed. Or cleaned my house. Or finished baking the lump of gingersnap dough left over in my fridge from yesterday’s batch. The only thing I really want to do to get ready is make playlists on my iPod. I am determined to find the perfect mix of fun roadtrip songs and Christmas music.

Speaking of Christmas music, here is a sweet holiday song by St. Lola in the Fields. I discovered this band via OTH. WHAT? That show is awesome ok? Anyway, they are a little girly and piano-y but in the best possible way. Enjoy. Merry Christmas from me to you!